Nuts (Tamber)

4

The car ride is silent, but not uncomfortable; it could never be uncomfortable with them. Tara gazes out of the window as if she hasn't seen anything along this route before. Amber catches herself glancing at Tara between stops at streetlights. "She's so pretty, she's always been so pretty," Amber thinks. She knows Tara sees her, but they never make eye contact, and perhaps that's for the best. Two turns later, they arrive at Tara's home, but she doesn't make a move to exit the car, and Amber doesn't really want her to. However, they remain in silence. Then, Tara sighs, as if bracing herself for something. This prompts Amber to remove her hand from the steering wheel and look towards Tara. Tara opens the door and turns to leave. Amber does the same, though she doesn't have to and probably shouldn't. They're no longer together, and there's no reason to walk her to her door. Yet, she does it, almost instinctively.

On the porch, instead of going inside, Tara sits down, and Amber stands, looking down at her until Tara looks up expectantly. Amber sighs and sits down as well. They both watch the raindrops hitting the ground, as if eye contact will harm them at this point. "Can you tell me what's wrong now?" Tara says. Amber looks up from the ground to a tree straight ahead. Tara continues, "Don't you think I can help you at all?" When met with silence, she twists her body to face Amber completely. "Is it your parents? Or did I do something?" This makes Amber raise her eyebrows, furrow her brow, and wear a serious expression when she says, "You did nothing. It's just me, it's always just me."

Tara reaches her hand out to touch Amber's face. Amber closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and lets the hand stay there. Eventually, she brings her own hand up and sets it on top of Tara's. Their fingers rub Tara's knuckles up and down. Amber opens her eyes, looks into Tara's, removes Tara's hand from her face, and sets it on Tara's lap. Amber doesn't miss Tara's disappointment as she gets up and walks down the steps to her car. "Why can't we ever just be happy, Amber?" Hearing Tara's voice crack at the end, Amber doesn't need to look back to know that Tara is crying. "I blame Billy and Stu," Amber thinks.

Amber unlocks the car door, gets in, and simultaneously hears Tara's door slam. I've been making her cry so much lately, I hate it, Amber thinks, and then she starts driving. She's speeding as she thinks that Tara deserves better. With every bitter thought, she goes faster and faster. A better family, a better town, a better life, and definitely a better relat-

Police sirens sound, and that's all it takes for her to slow down and pull over. Out of the cop car steps gum-chewing Judy Hicks. "I haven't seen you in a while, Freeman, and here I thought you turned over a new leaf," she says. "Well, looks like you thought wrong, but that's okay because we both know you weren't exactly promoted because of deductive skills, Sheriff." Hicks glares, and Amber rolls her eyes. She looks just like him, the thought irritates her. "Can I go now?" Amber sighs. "Don't let me catch you speeding again," says Hicks, making her way back to the cop car. Amber watches her through the rearview mirror and pulls off once Judy gets in the car.

When she arrives home, it's just as empty as it always is. For some reason, Amber feels lonely. She closes her eyes and sleeps on the couch.

Amber unlocks the car door, gets in, and simultaneously hears Tara's door slam. "I've been making her cry so much lately, I hate it," Amber thinks, and then she starts driving. She's speeding as she thinks that Tara deserves better. With every bitter thought, she goes faster and faster. A better family, a better town, a better life, and definitely a better relat-

Police sirens sound, and that's all it takes for her to slow down and pull over. Out of the cop car steps gum-chewing Judy Hicks. "I haven't seen you in a while, Freeman, and here I thought you turned over a new leaf," she says. "Well, looks like you thought wrong, but that's okay because we both know you weren't exactly promoted because of deductive skills, Sheriff." Hicks glares, and Amber rolls her eyes. "She looks just like him," the thought irritates her. "Can I go now?" Amber sighs. "Don't let me catch you speeding again," says Hicks, making her way back to the cop car. Amber watches her through the rearview mirror and pulls off once Judy gets in the car.

When she arrives home, it's just as empty as it always is. For some reason, Amber feels lonely. She closes her eyes and sleeps on the couch.